CR (Neoprene®) COATED POLYAMIDE TIRE CORD

Tire cord fabric is a type of industrial fabric which is constructed using High Tenacity yarns in the warp direction and yarns of negligible resistance in weft direction which is used to hold warn yarns locked in their position. Tire cord coated fabrics provides fundamental properties such as controlled deformation, high strength, abrasion resistance, etc. Widely used by the tire industry, it is also employed for the rubber hose manufacture, air springs, expansion joints, among many other applications.

Polyamide is a synthetic fiber formed of linear macromolecules having in the chain the recurring amide functional group. There are polyamides of low affinity and high affinity. They have low flammability, it starts to weaken at 180-200 ° C and melts at about 215-260 ° C. Good elasticity (greater than typical polyester). The polyamide yarn can have the strength of steel and fine wire of the spider. Depending on the weaving, the fabric may exhibit a very close silk appearance. Polyamide fabrics are often in the name of nylon which designated the base polyamide 6-6 whose current usage returns to generically polyamides.

CR or Chloroprene Rubber, commonly known as Neoprene®, was the best option to manufacture products that are to be in contact with oils and fuels in the past. Nowadays, Neoprene® is considered to have a moderate resistance to these components. However, Chloroprene Rubber can be considered a mix solution as it has better resistance to a diverse source of degrading agents (like oil, ozone, chemicals and heat) than Natural Rubber. Instead Neoprene® presents lower physical properties. In spite of the physical properties, Neoprene® has a perfect airtightness, therefore it is widely used in the manufacture of inflatable structures of all sort. Its resistance to fire is also excellent, and can be presented in self-extinguishing formulations if required.

The first rubber coated fabrics appears in 1926 for belt industry applications. Colmant Cuvelier quickly understands the importance of acquiring a calendering line for the manufacturing of his rubber sheets and coated fabrics that was dedicated to his own applications and then to the sale of coated fabrics for specialized applications such as hovercraft skirts, fuel flexible tanks...